The Follies of Man
by MassiveMilkshakeNerd
Summary: Five years later, the Earl and his butler still have not come across the perpetrators who have murdered his parents. Although one thing was bound to happen... the Earl's marriage to Lady Elizabeth! How will this affect his goals? Will they still come for him? What are they waiting for?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler). All rights belong to the author, Yana Toboso. I am merely using her characters and story for entertainment.**

* * *

 **Like one, that on a lonesome road**

 **Doth walk in fear and dread,**

 **And having once turned round walks on,**

 **And turns no more his head;**

 **Because he knows, a frightful fiend**

 **Doth close behind him tread.**

 **-Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, 1834**

* * *

Ciel Phantomhive silently cursed to himself as he trudged through the snow. Why did he decide to go there tonight? He could have gone any other day if he wished. A day where it wasn't thirty degrees out and snowing. But something told him he must, and he complied for he knew he had not much time left on this Earth. This may very well be the last time he will ever see his parents' graves.

As he neared the gates to the cemetery he thought about when this all began, this frequently visiting the cemetery. It had started when the Earl had just turned sixteen. He began to fear that the person(s) who had murdered his parents and his pride would never come for him. _Then_ , he thought, _what if they were planning a surprise attack?_ One that not even the Earl nor his butler could predict? This thought made him feel increasingly uneasy. Despite his butler's attempts at reassuring the Earl that he would always keep him safe, it only served to fuel his anxiety. He would not admit it to anyone, but he feared for his life. Not only his life but for his fiancée's life as well. These distressing thoughts came over him till he decided he would make up for all the pain he had caused everyone. He decided that, when he did die, he would leave everyone happy. The servants, his fiancée, her parents, Agni and Soma, his butler... Everyone.

Much to the Phantomhive household's surprise, they found the Earl to have become more cheerful and lively. He would actually participate in the Indian duo's silly games. He'd chat with the servants, even Tanaka. He'd take Elizabeth on dates to town like she'd always wanted. He even bought a kitten for his butler, Sebastian. Everyone was stunned. The Earl was actually being _nice_! This change took a toll on everyone, most of all Sebastian. He didn't understand the reasoning behind his master's sudden hysteria. At one point he asked him if he had contracted a fever and was given a scowl that said, _No. Now leave me alone and get back to your work._ It was frustrating.

Then he started visiting the cemetery that held his deceased parents. This was what concerned the butler most of all. The last time he had ever visited that cemetery was six years ago, on that fateful day when he had made a contract with a demon. After being subjected to torture, humiliation, and pain, the little Earl had lost his faith. _No one_ , he thought, _is coming to save me_. It was all over. When all hope was nearly lost he accidentally summoned a demon. This demon told him he would grant any wish he would ask of him. But in return, the boy would give him his soul. The little Earl greedily accepted this offer and then it started. The pain, the nightmares, everything that came with this deal that would undoubtedly never go away till the demon had claimed its prize. It would surround him, torture him until he could no longer see the light. Only darkness. To see his master like he was now... It was truly baffling.

The Earl noticed his butler's concern but thought nothing of it. He had made this decision and he would go through with it. In the event that he would die, he could die in peace knowing that all was right in the world that he would leave. The thought calmed him, reassuring him more than his butler ever could.

Ciel stopped at the familiar rusty, metal gates and stared up at the sign that read _Cemetery_. _It's nearly about to fall off_ , he thought. He would ask Sebastian to fix that later. He took the keys out of his coat pocket and, fumblingly, stuck one in the lock and turned. The gates opened with a _creak_ and then he entered. On top of the snow that was before coming down quite hard but now had been reduced to a light falling, a thick layer of fog surrounded the cemetery making it look eerily beautiful.

The young man approached the graves which held his parents. For two years he had visited this cemetery and never had he felt so cold. No, it wasn't from the snow or anything like that. It was something different, like a hand reaching out to you from behind and you would just stand there unknowingly, unaware, until the hand suddenly pulled you in and sucked you into a place unknown. It chilled him to the bone.

Tentatively, he stepped close to the graves and knelt down. Here he would silently grieve.

* * *

The candles in the candelabrum flickered and settled upon where they sat on the Earl's side table. They cast enough light for the young man to dress and quietly slip into bed. Before he could get comfortable, the door to his room opened, revealing his butler.

"Tired, are we?" the butler asked with his all-knowing smirk. The Earl merely grunted in reply.

"Don't be like that, Master," the butler persuaded. "Lady Elizabeth and the others were all very worried about you when you suddenly left after dinner. Where, may I ask, were you?"

This angered the Earl. He threw the covers off his bed and glared at his butler. "You know exactly where I was!" he spat.

"Indeed." The butler looked down at him, almost coldly. "You've been going there for a while now, Master."

"So what if I have been?" he retorted, returning the butler's cold gaze.

"Oh, nothing." The butler stood up and smiled with his eyes closed. "I was just worried about your health, Master. You know traveling out in that weather is bad for you."

"Hmph," the Earl replied, flopping back down onto his bed.

The butler dropped his smile and once again stared coldly at his master. He had grown accustomed to the Earl's "visits" with his parents. It confused and angered him but he let it be. Over the past two years, these "visits" seemed to become more and more frequent. He wondered whether the Earl was finally starting to break down, to give up. _No_ , he thought, _that couldn't be it_. The Earl was a strong man, one that couldn't be easily broken. Not even the fires of Hell could sway him. Perhaps he was just in a state of mourning. Maybe it would pass in a few days and then he would be back to his normal self. He would again be hell-bent on revenge and they would continue to search for the perpetrators who had murdered his family. But, even so, the sudden cheerfulness he displayed to everyone; the games he played with the servants; the dates with Lady Elizabeth! This was not like his master at all.

Needless to say, communication had grown stiff between butler and master over the years.

"I'm perfectly fine," the Earl said, his voice muffled in the pillows. "You may return to your quarters and do whatever it is you do at night."

"Very well." The butler walked around to the side of the bed where his master had thrown the blankets and gracefully picked them up. "But, Master..."

"What is it?"

"Lady Elizabeth wishes me to inform you that your wedding is to happen soon and that she wants your help with the preparations."

At this, the Earl let out a groan. He knew their wedding was coming. How could he not? She talked about it nearly every time she would visit. Although he knew it would happen ever since their parents had announced their engagement, it still stressed him out.

"Can't _you_ help her? I have work to do," he said, referring to the mountain load of paperwork he had stacked on his desk.

"Oh, no. Lady Elizabeth wants everything to be perfect and says it won't be the same if _I_ were to help her."

"So you even told her I had work?" The Earl sighed. "It can't be helped. I suppose I'll have to."

"That's the spirit, Master." The butler smiled again. "Now, would you like me to tuck you in?" he teased.

The Earl narrowed his eyes at the butler. "When have I ever asked you to tuck me in?"

The butler, amused, chuckled at the fuming young man. "I was only joking, Master."

"Hmph," he said as he snatched the blanket out of his butler's hands and, rather clumsily, covered himself. "Your jokes are far from funny. Leave me be."

The ever-faithful butler placed a hand over his heart and bowed slightly. "Yes, my Lord."

After the butler left, silence once again filled the room. Nothing could be heard besides the Earl's steady breathing and the ticking of the large, old grandfather clock in the middle of the room. Before the butler had entered the room, the young man had been very content on sleeping, but now he was wide awake, thinking. How would this marriage affect his goals? Would they still come for him? _Of course, they'd have even more reason then_. Then a terrible thought struck him. What if... No, no. He couldn't think about that. It was too horrid. They couldn't possibly be waiting for...?

He forced his mind to quiet. All these thoughts were overwhelming him. He had to sleep, so he could help Lizzie tomorrow... He had to sleep...

* * *

 **A/N: Hello! Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it so far. Please review if you did. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler). All rights belong to the author, Yana Toboso. I am merely using her characters and story for entertainment.**

* * *

"Ciel!"

The Earl snapped out of the daze he was in and turned toward his fiancée who was looking at him scrutinizingly. "Y-yes?"

"How does it feel?" she asked, still staring at him.

He was genuinely confused for a moment. "How does what feel?"

"The tuxedo!"

"Oh, yes! Um..." The Earl looked down at what he was wearing. A dark blue frock coat over a grayish vest and simple white dress shirt paired with matching blue pressed pants is what he saw. A black ascot was tied round his neck and a top hat with a satin blue ribbon sat atop his head, along with patent-leather button boots and white kid gloves. It was all very formal. "It's fine," he replied.

The soon-to-be Countess bit her lip. "Just fine?"

The Earl's breath hitched. "Um, n-no, no, it's great. Amazing even! Top-notch." He internally flinched.

The young lady didn't look convinced and merely continued to stare attentively at him. He knew she wanted everything to be perfect for their wedding. Who wouldn't? This _was_ said to be the most important part of a woman's life. Sometimes, though, he thought she was overdoing it a little.

They would have the ceremony in a large church with over fifty guests (how she knew that many people, he didn't know. It came with being a noble he supposed). It would be a spring wedding, as were most weddings then. There would be many flowers and potted plants decorating the chapel. She had picked a day when it was sure not to rain just so the sun would be able to stream through the windows of the church. Indeed, she had it all planned out in that lovely little head of hers. The Earl himself could care less. Of course, he would go along with it all. He didn't want to hurt his lady's feelings, and certainly not before the wedding. It was a bad omen. But he had more important things to think about than deciding which flowers would contrast best with the wedding dress the bride would wear.

"Ciel."

He looked over at her with a lack of interest. "Yes?"

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked, concern laced in her emerald-green eyes.

"Of course I'm alright Lizzie. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know..." She lowered her head. "You just don't seem very enthusiastic."

"Oh, erm-" He desperately searched his mind for something reassuring to say. "I have a few things on my mind, that's all." But to no avail.

She sniffled. "Are they more important than our wedding?"

The Earl was completely stuck now. He was about to consider calling Sebastian to help him get out of this mess when the door suddenly opened, revealing Nina Hopkins, the Phantomhive's official tailor.

"Earl!"

He sighed in relief, grateful for the distraction of his fiancée's worries.

The outrageous woman stood before him, inspecting every inch of him, and when she was done, turned toward the door with an unsatisfied look.

"It's alright, isn't it?" the Earl asked.

"Hmm..." The tailoress appeared to be in deep thought. "To the naked eye it _looks_ fine, but to you!" She turned around to face the Earl with a fiery look in her brown eyes. "You Earl! Do _you_ think it's fine!"

"Um, yes?"

"Your answer isn't passionate enough! You have to really _feel_ it!"

It was at this point the Earl tuned out the tailoress, letting her spew out nonsense that would fall on deaf ears.

The soon-to-be Countess watched her fiancé who wore a disgruntled look on his face, obviously trying to avoid involvement in the tailor's antics. She knew he'd rather be in his study finishing up his work. She also knew that something was bugging him. He had been so... different these last two years. It was strange. Normally he wouldn't be so willing to accept the offers she made to go on dates to town. He usually wouldn't hang around with the servants during the day. She _knew_ he would never have bought a _cat_ for _Sebastian_. It was troubling.

Perhaps she should have been happier. After all, the Earl was showing more and more of his old self. But she didn't want him to return to his old self, or she did, but not unwillingly. She wanted him to be happy. That was all she ever wanted. All she ever did for him, it was for him to be happy. Although sometimes it backfired, she wouldn't give up. She wouldn't stop till she saw a genuine smile on the Earl's face. Not the fake ones he displayed, it seemed, every day. Nor the ones his butler always wore. But a real, genuine, heartfelt smile.

This strange willingness he showed every day, it wasn't genuine. It was forced. She didn't understand why it was forced, but she knew, and it troubled her. She wanted him to know that she was there, that he could trust her. That he could tell her what was on his mind. She would listen, all day if need be, and she would help him. Until the day he would open up to her, she would be quiet, going about her usual routine of making the Earl happy.

"That's it!"

The Earl snapped his head up and stared at the tailoress.

"I must make the suit tighter!" she exclaimed with a somewhat lewd expression.

"Tighter?" If it was any tighter, he wouldn't be able to breathe!

"Yes! You've gained little weight over the years, Earl. Though you have gotten a bit taller..." She trailed off.

"A _bit_?"

"Yes..." She once again slipped into deep thought. "Yes! I've got it!"

"Got wha-"

The tailoress quickly stripped him of his suit before he could finish his question and left, the door closing behind her with a _slam_ , and leaving the Earl in only his underwear.

The young woman blushed madly and turned around.

He blushed too as he slipped on his former dress shirt. "It's alright. I'm covered now."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Ciel!" his fiancée wept and threw her arms around him. "I didn't mean for you to be so irritated. I just wanted you to enjoy spending time together. I thought you'd be happy, but instead, you only seem to be mad."

The Earl pulled his head back in surprise. "Mad? I'm not mad."

She looked at him, emerald eyes filled with tears. "You're not? But didn't you say you'd rather be working than dressing up with me? And you've had such a gloomy expression on your face the whole time and-"

The Earl awkwardly put his arms around her back, not used to comforting the usually bubbly blonde. "I'm not mad. Just a little stressed is all. I'll be fine."

"About our wedding, or something else?"

He looked up at her, surprised that she had realized that something was wrong with him. He knew how deeply she cared for him. He could say the same for her. He just wasn't used to this feeling of comfort. It was a feeling he hadn't felt ever since that day. It felt unwanted, as if he didn't deserve it, this feeling of peace when he was with her. Nevertheless, on certain days, he would indulge himself in her love, taking comfort in her arms, if only for a little while.

Now today he would be the one to comfort her.

Or at least, he hoped so.

"I'm fine. Really I am. It's just all this work I have to do. And the Queen has so many requests that I was worried we wouldn't be able to have our wedding. But I'm glad. I'm glad we will finally be able to have it," he breathed.

His soon-to-be wife placed a hand on his hair and smiled. "I am too, Ciel. It will be the most beautiful wedding there ever was."

He, in turn, smiled up at her. "It truly will."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler). All rights belong to the author, Yana Toboso. I am merely using her characters and story for entertainment.**

* * *

Church bells pealed forth as a couple entered the large church, making the populace quite aware that a ceremony was about to take place. Upon entering the chapel, the bride and groom inspected the beautifully decorated church. Festoons of evergreens and blossoms covered the entire inside of the building. Potted palms sat in every corner, and, as the bride had made sure of, the early morning sun streaked through the windows, casting a lovely glow everywhere it touched. Huge, elaborately sculpted pillars stood on either side of the stairs that the bride and groom were now ascending.

The bride's long train glided across the wooden floor. Her veil covered her face and would not be lifted till after they had said their vows. The dress she wore was entirely made up of lace, tiny little pearls covering the outside layer.

The groom himself wore his aforementioned suit. A red rose was attached to his lapel, while the bride had pink roses decorating the top of her head.

As they reached the top of the pedestal where the clergyman was waiting, the bride quickly looked around the church. A sea of people was seated. Spotting her parents, she smiled at them who, in turn, smiled back. Her brother's eyes were red with weeping and she chuckled. She knew her dear brother would get emotional at her wedding. He had, after all, been dreading it ever since the engagement was announced. He wouldn't be able to let go of his dear sister so early on. But she had talked to him about this until finally, he accepted it. He would have to trust Ciel to take care of her. And he swore he would.

The clergyman smiled at them and began his services. On both sides of the bride and groom stood the best man and the maid of honor. At the bride's suggestion, Sebastian was to be best man. The groom had refused, saying, "He already has a large enough ego as it is, don't stroke it by making him best man!" which was then challenged with, "Oh, come on, Ciel! Sebastian has always been there for you! Surely no other person could fit the position!" to which he had hastily agreed. But, he had said, if Sebastian was going to be best man, Paula would be maid of honor. To this, the bride wholeheartedly agreed. And that was that.

As the bride and groom participated in the wedding rituals, the "best man" smirked to himself. He thought this situation quite ironic. Him as best man? A demon in church? He might have been rolling on the floor laughing if this wasn't such a serious matter. So he kept to himself.

Paula was very honored by being chosen to be maid of honor. At first, she had declined, saying she didn't deserve such an important position. But her Lady persisted and she accepted. Later, she thought it funny that she was, indeed, a maid and would be a maid of honor as well.

Both had a terrible sense of humor.

The clergyman then said, "Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

The groom stared determinedly at his bride, looking as if he were about to go into battle. "I do." He then slipped a simple gold band on her finger.

"Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

The bride smiled up at the groom. "I do." She then did the same to him.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

The veil was lifted and the groom stooped down to kiss the bride, who kissed him back.

* * *

After the ceremony, the couple signed their name in the parish register in the vestry. They then proceeded to head outside and have breakfast. Guests rushed over to the bride and groom to congratulate them.

Ciel noticed the large cake that sat on the long table and headed over to cut himself a slice. The aroma was heavenly. He stuck his fork into the cake and was about to take a bite when his wife took his arm and dragged him back inside the church, allowing his cake to fall on the grass.

"Hey! I was about to eat that!" he protested. "Where are you taking me?"

"Ciel." She looked at him from behind, still dragging the hungry Earl. "We have to get dressed!"

"Dressed? But we're already dressed!"

"For our _honeymoon_!"

 _Oh, yes. That._

"Paula! Come quick! Please help me out of this dress. And Sebastian! Help Ciel get into his own clothing as well."

"I think I'm old enough to dress myself, thank you," he sulked, blushing.

After they had gotten dressed into their traveling clothes, they said goodbye to all their relatives and friends who wished them happiness throughout their entire life. Sebastian carried the luggage and set it down in the carriage seats. He helped the newly-weds into the carriage and then he himself sat down. With a crack of the whip, the horses set off and left for the train.

Once there, they got out and hurried for the train. Sebastian handed them their luggage and wished them farewell.

"Goodbye Master, goodbye Lady Elizabeth. Do have fun on your trip." He smiled.

"Thank you, Sebastian! Take care of the manor while we're gone, but of course, you always do," the young lady praised.

"Of course. If I couldn't do that much, then what kind of a 'best man' would I be?"

The lady chuckled at this. The Earl only sighed. He found it particularly hard to be "nice" to his butler when he was always such a smart aleck.

"Go on, Sebastian. We will be back in a month's time. And you will be waiting at the station then, correct?"

"Indeed, Master."

"Good. Now off we go."

The demon watched as the train sped off, amused beyond belief. His master was finally married. Now what would happen?


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler). All rights belong to the author, Yana Toboso. I am merely using her characters and story for entertainment.**

* * *

The carriage slowed to a stop in front of the large mansion. The door was opened by a man clad in black who helped the Earl step out.

"Come on, Lizzie. We're here."

His wife merely stood there, staring expectantly at him.

"What's the matter?"

"You have to carry me!"

The Earl looked up at her as if she was crazy. "W-what? Who said I had to do such a thing?"

She put her hands on her hips and explained, "I did! And it _is_ tradition."

"Well, it's a stupid tradition," he grumbled.

"Come on, Ciel!" She grinned at him, her eyes wide and hopeful. " _Please_ ," she begged.

The Earl looked over at his butler who was quietly watching the situation. He could see the tiniest of smiles on his face. He knew the butler would enjoy watching his master attempt to carry his wife; as if it wouldn't be embarrassing enough, he'd probably tease him about it later. Nevertheless, he must please his wife.

He sighed. "Very well."

"Yay!" she trilled and held out her arms.

He caught her and shifted her into a bridal position. She wasn't that heavy but still, _H_ _ow on earth does Sebastian do this all the time?_

The Countess giggled and put her arms around his neck. She enjoyed seeing his flustered face.

Sebastian stayed behind, amusing himself in his master's discomfort.

When they had reached the entrance, he set her down, heaving.

"Are you alright, Master?" the butler asked with mock concern.

The Earl glared at him for a moment but then turned toward the door with a sigh. "Just open the door, Sebastian."

"Yes, sir."

As soon as they entered the mansion, three servants, one house steward, and a footman came barreling at them.

 _Oh great. There's one thing I didn't miss._

"Young Master and Lady Elizabeth are back!" they cried.

"Says Wordsworth," the footman finished.

"Hello, everyone." He smiled feebly. "I see you haven't burned down the mansion while I was gone."

"Oh no!" Finny, the gardener, piped up. "Mr. Sebastian was here! He wouldn't have let us do that!"

Baldroy, the chef, placed a hand on Finny's head. "'Course we could have 'andled the manor without 'em. _And_ the mansion would still be intact."

"Of course," the Earl agreed, though in his mind he thought otherwise.

"Did you have fun on your honeymoon, young Master?" Finny asked, curiosity shining in his green innocent eyes.

"Ah-"

"Yes, we did, Finny," his wife interjected. "Thank you for asking."

Finny smiled brightly.

"Oh, young Master! It's been so boring in the manor since you've been gone!" the maid, Mey-Rin, suddenly cried. "We were going to die of boredom, yes we were!"

"Surely your work occupied enough of your time?"

The three servants looked down at the ground. "Um..."

"Mr. Sebastian did most of the work," Finny confessed.

"I see," he said, realizing what that meant. "Anyway, it's nice to see you all." He nodded toward Tanaka, the house steward, and Snake, the footman. Tanaka 'Hoh, hoh, hoh'd' in return, while Snake finished feeding his salad to one of his, erm, snakes. "Yes, very nice. And if you'll excuse me, I must start on my paperwork, I have much to do. And," he looked at each of the servants in turn, "so do you."

They saluted him and said, "Yes, my Lord!"

And then they all left, including Sebastian, to get started on their duties. Satisfied, Ciel turned around toward his study.

"Thank you, Ciel," his wife called after him, smiling. "I'll make it up to you for having to carry me all that way."

"Hmph." He started up the stairs, preparing himself for work. "And just how do you propose to do that?"

She thought for a moment and then grinned. "I'll make you cake."

He couldn't help but turn around and smile. "You know me well."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler). All rights belong to the author, Yana Toboso. I am merely using her characters and story for entertainment.**

* * *

The next few weeks had passed peacefully. There were no interruptions, no house invasions, no letters from the Queen, besides the one which had asked "Did you and your new wife enjoy your honeymoon?" And yes, he would say in his reply, they had very much enjoyed their honeymoon together. Thank you for asking.

Everything was perfect and tranquil for the newly-weds. A few times the kitchen blew up but that was to be expected in the Phantomhive manor. A cat would stray into the Earl's room at intervals and then he would demand of his butler to keep it out of the mansion but it was all right. The new chinaware he had just purchased was broken and shattered on the floor but he could just order more. The garden had been turned into a barren wasteland but Sebastian could fix it. _Everything is going to be all right_ , he thought.

In truth, the tranquil, peaceful days heightened the Earl's already high anxiety. The unknown was suffocating him. Unsure of what they were planning, when they would put their plan into action, and how. It was all too much for him to bear. Because of this, his resolve to leave everyone happy was slowly starting to fade away. He found himself agitated and nervous around everyone, as if they were in on this plan the perpetrators would undoubtedly commence, though they knew as little as he, and even less, as they were still unaware of what caused the Earl to display such actions.

He feared he was slowly going insane. But he couldn't be! He was Ciel, Earl of Phantomhive! Surely he should be able to have the upper hand on his opponents. And with his loyal butler by his side, nothing could stop him! They were merely toying with him. Yes, it was all part of their plan. They deliberately stayed silent just so the Earl would go mad, wondering when they would strike. But no, the Earl had seen through their disguise, he had seen through their tricks! He was ready! _Bring it on_! he thought.

Despite his new resolve, he had become silent and taciturn. He would once again stay in his study all day. He refused his wife's offers to talk which left her confused and concerned. When at the dinner table, he would say little. Outside of the manor, he was reserved and quiet. Once again, the Phantomhive manor was troubled. What was going on with the young man? Why was he acting like this?

The reason behind his silence is this: the Earl was thinking. He was thinking very hard. He thought so hard he developed horrible headaches which caused him much pain. Still, he would think. He would think till his brain cells refused to think anymore and he would have to sleep. Then, in the morning, he would think again.

Perhaps he was going mad. Even the servants, who loved their young Master dearly, wondered this. Elizabeth had refused this notion. Her darling Ciel _couldn't_ be going mad! It wasn't in his nature to allow things to get to him. Sebastian as well questioned his master's sanity. Tanaka stayed silent, though there was an air about him that suggested he knew something of what the Earl was going through. The butler, in an attempt to understand his master's condition, asked him if he did indeed know anything but the former butler merely shook his head and resumed sipping his Japanese tea. He never was much of a talker.

To sum it all up, all of Phantomhive manor was depressed.

A month had passed and there was still no sign. If only they would give out some kind of clue, some slip-up, a mistake in their plans, anything! The Earl was treading on a thin line between sanity and insanity at the moment. He would consume anything they would give. It wasn't until later in the next month that they finally gave him a clue.

"Master, there is a letter for you," the butler announced.

The Earl's head perked up from where it lay on his oak desk. "A letter? From whom?" Perhaps it was from his parent's murderers!

"I do not know. A rather foul-looking being had given it to me. I refused and turned to shut the door but it said it was of great importance."

 _That's strange_ , he thought as he waved the butler over. "Well, hand it over then."

"Yes, my Lord." He handed him the letter.

Ripping the letter open with a knife, he eagerly read the contents of such. The handwriting was nearly illegible but he managed to make it out. Here is what it said:

 _Dearest Earl,_

 _In the Spring, a baby's laugh was expected,_

 _But of that, the Earl will be neglected._

 _Come this Winter, cold and drear,_

 _We will take away all you held dear._

 _Sincerely,_

 _..._

"Master?" The butler hovered over the Earl, concerned. "Master, what's wrong? What did it say?"

The Earl looked up at his butler, his face stoic. "Did this person give you any identification? Were there any clues as to who it was?"

"No, sir. I could not decipher such. The person had many sheets of ratted clothing covering its form so I could not."

"Hmm," he mused.

Finally, after a long while, the Earl spoke up. "Thank you, Sebastian. You may go."

The butler bowed. "Alright, but if you should need anythi-"

"No," he said firmly. "No, I won't need anything. Just go to your assigned duties. I'll be staying here, thinking."

The butler bowed once more. "Yes, my Lord." He then left the room, the door closing softly behind him.

Sighing, the Earl laid back in his chaise and closed his eyes. He had finally gotten a clue, though he did not know exactly what it meant. It unnerved him, the message it contained. He had a chilling feeling he knew what it meant and of that, he didn't wish to think about. Opening his eyes, he skimmed through the letter once more. If what it said was true, or if what he thought it meant was true, he would have to work overtime to protect his little family. Tighten the security was his first thought. There certainly would be no more trips to town, for fear of them spying. For all he knew, they could be spying right now. The thought scared him. _But Sebastian would have sensed them if they were, he would have taken care of them by now_. This calmed him down and, with haste, he crumpled the cursed letter and threw it in the wastebasket.

He certainly would have his work cut out for him. Physically _and_ mentally.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler). All rights belong to the author, Yana Toboso. I am merely using her characters and story for entertainment.**

* * *

Weeks passed and more and more letters came, all delivered by the same person. The Earl had ordered his butler to capture the "being" who was delivering all these letters and bring it to him, but, according to Sebastian, when he tried to, it suddenly disappeared. "Almost like a ghost," he had commented with a smirk.

The Earl continued to get bombarded with letters and, as if it had learned from before, the being no longer used the door. Instead, it would leave letters at the front door. Sometimes they would even be found in the house, which irked and scared the Earl, though he would never say so aloud, of course.

What mostly irritated the Earl was that they didn't even give him a new clue each letter that they sent. It was the same poorly-written poetry they had sent before. Why the need to send it to him so many times? _Once is enough_ , he thought bitterly, as he read the latest letter that somehow made its way onto his desk. It was the same message.

 _In the Spring, a baby's laugh was expected,_

 _But of that, the Earl will be neglected._

 _Come this Winter, cold and drear,_

 _We will take away all you held dear._

He sighed and quickly tore the paper to shreds. The butler, who had been in the room with the Earl when he discovered the letter, moved to pick up the mess. The Earl snuck a glance at his butler, but his face remained calm. In fact, the butler was calm each time there came a letter.

He couldn't help but be a bit suspicious of him. His butler _should_ have been able to catch that being but he didn't. He _should_ have sensed that someone was lurking about his manor but he didn't. But even if he _was_ the person sending him all these letters, what reason had he for doing so? For the sake of his sanity? Perhaps that was the intention but it wasn't working. All the more questions flooded the Earl's mind and it angered him that he couldn't answer them.

"Sebastian," the Earl suddenly spoke up.

The butler looked up at his Master. "Yes, sir?"

He hesitated for a moment, then said calmly, "Are you sending me these letters?"

The butler seemed surprised for a moment then chuckled. "What gave you the idea that _I_ would do such a thing?"

The Earl narrowed his eyes at the butler. "I asked you a question. Did you or did you not send me these letters?"

"No, sir."

"And you do not lie?"

"No, sir."

"Hmm," he mused.

The butler then resumed picking up the discarded pieces of paper on the carpet, leaving the Earl to his own thoughts. How could his master accuse him of such a thing? He knew he was growing desperate; he was himself irritated that he could not capture this person who could somehow sneak into the mansion without him knowing. Unless this being wasn't human... No, it was indeed human. That was the first thing he had noticed when he opened the door. And it was a mighty disheveled human at that.

After cleaning up the mess that his master had made, and in his mind he thought on purpose, he stood up. Just then, a thought came to him.

"Master, do you not find it odd that the Queen has not requested anything of the Watchdog recently?"

"Hmph. She's probably just letting me on holiday," he said, getting up from his chaise.

"Maybe," he murmured, unconvinced.

"At any rate," the Earl began as he headed toward the door that lead out of his study. "You should be making dinner, yes?"

"Indeed. I will start on it right away."

"Good." He then turned the knob on the door and was about to walk out when his butler spoke up.

"Master, after dinner, perhaps you should rest for the night. It would be good for your mind to quiet down for a while. And you'd wake up refreshed and ready to solve this case. At the very least you'll feel better."

"Hmm." He considered this for a moment, then, "Yes, I think I will."

The butler, surprised that his master had actually agreed with him, bowed and said in an incredulous voice, "Very good, my Lord."

* * *

After dinner, the Earl had retired to his room. He wasn't one to agree with his butler, though sometimes he _did_ make a point. And this time, he made a rather good one. Sleep hadn't been one of the Earl's number one priorities these last few weeks and he was grateful that he could do so now.

Quickly, he changed into his bedclothes and slipped into his nice, warm bed. Before he could drift off into much-needed sleep, a voice he hadn't expected called out to him.

"Ciel?" a sweet, tiny voice asked from behind his bedroom door.

"Come in," he answered as he sat up in bed. So much for sleep.

His wife entered, dressed in her nightgown. She approached his bed and sat down. "I'm sorry, Ciel. I didn't know you were going to bed just now."

"It's fine. I was going to read a book anyway," he lied. "So, um," he began, "is there something wrong?"

"Oh, no!" she exclaimed. "There's nothing the matter. I just wanted to talk with you."

"Oh." He stared expectantly at her. "Well, go on."

To his surprise, she laid down in bed next to him and frowned. Too tired to complain or resist, he laid down with her and waited for her to say something.

"Ciel." She took his hand in hers. "What's wrong?"

"What?" he asked, shocked.

"I know there's something wrong with you, Ciel." She looked at him sadly. "You've been acting so strange. First, you became so talkative and cheerful, and now, I barely see you out of your study anymore."

"Lizzie," he breathed. He didn't want to tell her about the letters. He didn't want to burden her mind with such worries and become like him. He wanted her to stay like she was; the happy, cheerful Lizzie who, though she didn't see it most of the time, would comfort him in his time of need. Her bouncing, bubbly form would bring him a little closer to the light he had so hastily shunned and ease his mind from all pain. He wished fervently she would comfort him right now, but she wasn't here for that it seemed. She was here to ask questions he couldn't bear to give the answers to.

He put his arms around her and buried his face in her neck. "I cannot tell you."

She, in turn, put her arms around him. "Why not?" she asked softly.

"Because if I do..." He stopped himself. What was he doing? Why was he displaying such weakness in front of her? This wasn't like the Earl at all. The Earl would keep his emotions in check. The Earl could get through this without the comfort of his beloved wife. The Earl... was only human, after all.

"Ciel, you know I love you, don't you?"

Of course he knew. She would tell him that every day. Not through words, exactly, but through her actions. And God knows he took it all for granted.

"I'd never let anyone hurt you, Ciel. Never."

That was when the Earl broke. Silently, he started crying. His wife continued to hold onto him while he continued his pathetic sobbing.

* * *

 _You're so weak, a voice spoke._

 _No, I'm not, he answered back._

 _Yes. Yes, you are. You should be facing this head on right now, but instead, you lay here crying, unwilling to deal with your problems._

 _I have been dealing with my problems! he protested. And it's hard!_

 _It's hard, is it? You and I both know that when you made this decision it was going to be hard._

 _Yes, but..._

 _But, what? Don't tell me you've changed your mind. You can't change anything now. The deal has been made. You must go through with it._

 _I will! I mean, I am!_

 _Oh? Is this how you're going about it, then?_

 _Shut up!_

 _I see. Well, if that's how it is, you may as well have been dead right now, no?_

 _No!_

 _Oh, yes. If you are unwilling to go any further, then this deal is over._

 _No!_

 _You are as good as dead._

* * *

The Earl's eyes shot open. He looked over at Lizzie who had fallen asleep in his arms. Sighing, he leaned against her and whispered, "Lizzie... I love you."

"I love you too, Ciel," her voice answered back.

Shocked, he stared at her. "You're awake?"

She chuckled softly and smiled. "Yes, and I do love you."

He smiled too. For the first time in a long while, he smiled a true, genuine smile.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler). All rights belong to the author, Yana Toboso. I am merely using her characters and story for entertainment.**

* * *

The Earl tried to concentrate on the paperwork in front of him but found he could not. It wasn't that he was distracted or anything, or he was, but not in the way you'd expect.

"Ciel, is this better?" his wife asked cheerfully as she massaged her husband's shoulders.

"Yes," he murmured, lowering his head and blushing. "You really don't _have_ to."

She giggled at his expression and continued. "Anything for you, darling."

This response resulted in a more flustered Earl.

Suddenly, the door bell rang.

The Earl stood up to get it as Sebastian was in town getting groceries but Lizzie quickly set him back down.

"I'll get it," she announced. "You just stay there."

"But you're-"

"I'll be fine," she assured, gesturing to her ever-growing belly. "I've made it down the stairs many times, you know."

"Alright, but-"

Before he could finish, his wife was already out the door.

Slowly and carefully, Elizabeth made it down the stairs. The doorbell rang once more. "I'm coming!" she called.

Once there, she opened the door and looked out. A strange being stood before her, covered in many rags and strips of cloth. The being held out a pink and red wrapped box, revealing two old hands covered in veins.

"Oh!" she started, shocked.

"This is for you," it said in a squeaky voice, which she could neither discern as male or female. "Or rather, for the baby."

"But, how did you-"

But before she could finish her sentence, the being had shoved the box into her hands and disappeared. She had not even seen where it ran off to. Confused, she made her way up the stairs and into the study where her husband was waiting.

"Strange," she said to herself as she entered the room.

"What's strange?" her husband looked up from his paperwork as she walked over to his desk.

"The person who was at the door. I had never seen anyone quite like it. And it gave me this." She showed him the box.

The Earl stood up from his chaise with a start. "Who gave you this?" he demanded.

"Why, the person-"

"Yes, but - What did this person look like?"

"Well, it had many rags covering it so I could hardly see-"

"That's it!" he suddenly exclaimed.

"What's it?"

The Earl sat back down. "Ah, nothing. Did this person say anything to you?"

"It said this was for the baby." She handed him the box. "And there's another thing! How did it know I was pregnant? Surely the news hasn't gotten out yet?"

The Earl scowled. "Yes. How did it?" he muttered, mostly to himself.

He put the box near his ear and listened.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm making sure it's not a bomb," he stated calmly.

"A bomb?!" She knew the Phantomhive's had enemies, but still, a bomb!

"Yes. A bomb."

"And if there was one?"

"I would have thrown it out the window," he explained.

"And what good would that do?"

"We'd be alive for one thing."

She crossed her arms and sighed. "Well, open it up then. I'd like to see what it is."

The Earl removed the red bow and then carefully tore open the wrapping paper. If he were a child, the box would have been opened in a matter of seconds. Now, as an adult, it seemed to take forever.

He lifted the lid and there, sitting on felt paper, was a baby rattle. A bright yellow and blue one.

"Oh! How cute!" she exclaimed.

Her husband held up a finger, urging her to be quiet. Cautiously, he lifted the rattle and there on the side was a long crack.

The Countess stared at in in horror. "That's..."

"... Not cute," he finished for her.

Inside of the rattle, he pulled out a note. He quickly read it and threw it in the wastebasket.

"Ciel?"

He leaned back in his chaise and looked up toward the sky. Whatever goodness there was up there, he certainly needed it.

"Ciel?"

The Earl stared at her and sighed. "Yes?"

"Is this from the people you've been worrying about?" she asked, holding up the rattle.

He looked down a moment, then he answered, "Yes."

"Oh, Ciel," she walked up behind his chair and placed her hands on his shoulders. "You should have told me."

He leaned into her arms. "I didn't want you to worry."

"Worry I might. You know I care about you and what you're doing. I could have helped you. Instead, you almost drove yourself mad with the burden of all this on your shoulders. But now you needn't worry, because I'm here." She smiled down at him. "We'll get through this together."

The Earl took her hand in his. "I hope so."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler). All rights belong to the author, Yana Toboso. I am merely using her characters and story for entertainment.**

* * *

 **February 1895**

* * *

Life in the Phantomhive manor had seen a roller coaster of emotions the last few years, from happy and confused then to depressed and melancholy. Now it was back to happy and confused.

The servant's themselves couldn't say they were upset. They were grateful their master seemed to be feeling better. But, as they had thought before, it was worrisome. It had come all of a sudden with no explanation behind it.

The Earl, sensing his household's worries, attempted to calm them down and assure them that he really was alright. He was just going through some things right now, but he'd be fine once it was all over. The staff eagerly accepted this explanation and went back to their duties happily. They were glad their master had confided in them.

The Earl, instead of hanging around in his study all day, once again became more active around the manor. Talking with the servants, playing with them, helping Lizzy down the stairs, these were things the Earl was not wont to do. Still, they accepted it as the way things would be from now on.

Sebastian himself they had seen little of. He would, of course, go about his usual duties as a butler, and, of course, he would do it excellently. But it seemed he wasn't around as much. Usually, he would come in the morning to the servant's chambers and wake them and then give them their list of duties. Now, instead of face-to-face lectures, he only left a note attached to their doors explaining such.

As the Countess was now six-months pregnant, all of Phantomhive manor was on edge, especially the Earl. Not only did he have a murderer that could come at any moment to deal with, he also had a pregnant wife to take care of.

Things were not looking up for the young man.

Now, in the month of February, we near the end of this story. I will now relate to you what transpired during that time.

* * *

Ciel Phantomhive stared out the window and watched as white individual snowflakes floated down from the sky. He rested his head against the cold window and sighed. His head was aching terribly from all the thinking that would lead him nowhere. He had no clues, no signs, nothing. It wouldn't do him any good. He had to face it. The Earl of Phantomhive could not win this time. In his mind, he knew he shouldn't give up, that he should keep going. But he couldn't. There was nothing he could do to prevent the inevitable from happening.

 _Whenever they may come,_ he thought to himself, _Sebastian will take care of them. I'll take Lizzie and-_

The Earl shook his head violently and dug his nails into the back of his chaise, resulting in a splitting pain in his head. He couldn't think like this. He couldn't give up now...

Oh, how he wished it was all over! If this was how it was going to end he would never have made this deal.

 _If I could just save Lizzie and the baby. The servants, too. They aren't in this. It isn't their fault. I dragged them into it. It's mine. I must face my death head on, as I've always done._

With a frustrated grunt, he flung all the papers off his desk and sat down in his chair with a burning passion in his sapphire-blue eyes.

Always? Always?! He had never done anything by himself! If it wasn't for that blasted demon, he wouldn't be alive right now! Perhaps that would have been better, if he weren't alive right now... They wouldn't have come after the Phantomhive's, seeing as there was no heir. Lizzie would be happily married to someone who was worth all the attention and love she gave... Lizzie, oh Lizzie. She was the only reason the Earl _wanted_ to stay alive right now. It tore him apart to know he would never again see her after all was done.

"Ciel."

He felt a hand touch his shoulder and looked up to see that it was his wife. Mortified to have shown her that he had been, indeed, crying, he buried his face in his hands and rested his head against her, softly sobbing.

Again, he could hear the voices telling him he was weak. But he knew he was weak, and he accepted it. He loved his wife and she loved him, and he accepted that as well.

* * *

 _You're so selfish._

* * *

"I am, I am," he sobbed into her dress.

"You're what, Ciel?" she urged gently while she rubbed the back of his head.

"I'm selfish. I'm so very, very selfish. I can't do it," he murmured. "I can't. I can't. Oh, I can't."

The Countess continued stroking his hair, bringing the Earl some solace for the moment.

"It's alright, Ciel," she spoke softly, comfortingly. "I told you we'd make it, and we will."

He quieted down a little. "How do you know?"

She smiled. "I know."

"Hmph," he snorted and she laughed.

"Thank you, Lizzie," he said at last.

She kissed his head. "Of course, Ciel."

At that very moment, the door opened, revealing his butler looking concerned.

"Master," he addressed him.

The Earl quickly cleared away any signs of a fit. "Yes, what is it?"

"They are here," he announced.

The Earl stood up so very suddenly that his wife nearly fell over.

"They are?!"

"Yes. They have surrounded the house now. There are many of them. It seems they had this all planned out since the beginning."

"Tch!" He took hold of his wife's arm and led her out the door. "Sebastian!" he called. "Don't let any of them come inside. Take care of them all outside!"

The butler bowed and answered, "Yes, my Lord."

* * *

Hurriedly, husband and wife ran down the hall toward the secret passageway that the Earl had had specially made for emergencies such as this one. The Earl would slow down every once in a while so that he wouldn't tire his wife.

Finally, they made it and the Earl pressed his hand against the wall where it suddenly moved and revealed a set of stairs.

"This way," he urged her.

The Earl shut the entrance to the passageway and, slowly, they made their way down the steps into a small room with a few chairs and a table. Dust covered the whole entirety of the room and a few cobwebs were seen here and there. It was clear that it hadn't been used recently.

Setting his wife down on a chair, which she was very grateful for, the Earl took hold of her shoulders and said, "Lizzie. You stay down here. I need to help Sebastian. I _will_ be back," he promised.

"Ciel..." She looked at him, her eyes tearing up. "Please be safe, Ciel."

He embraced her quickly and whispered, "I will."

The Earl then took a gun out of his pocket and ran up the stairs to the other side.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler). All rights belong to the author, Yana Toboso. I am merely using her characters and story for entertainment.**

* * *

The Earl quietly walked down the hall, gun in his hand, fingers on the trigger. Cautiously, he looked around but he could see no one within his line of vision. He looked around the corner to see if anyone was there and, seeing there was no one, kept on walking. Suddenly, the Earl's skin began to prickle. Someone was behind him. He whirled around and pointed the gun at the stranger, ready to shoot.

"My, my," the "stranger" said. "To think you would shoot your own butler. A rude Master, indeed."

Gritting his teeth, he spat out, "Don't sneak up on me like that, you moron!"

He smirked maliciously. "Did I frighten you?"

"Of course not." He turned around and started walking again. "Now, tell me. Have all of them been taken care of?"

"Not all of them."

"What do you mean, _not all of them_?" He faced his butler angrily. "I ordered you to take care of them all!"

Once again, the butler's face wore that all-knowing smirk. "You ordered me to take care of them all _outside_. There were already persons on the inside."

"Curse you," he muttered under his breath. He had no time to argue with his butler right now. He had to protect his family no matter what. And he had to act fast. "Take me to them," he commanded.

"Yes, sir."

The Earl followed his butler as he lead him to where the perpetrators currently resided. He noticed that they were heading toward the drawing-room. Sighing, he mentally and physically prepared himself for whatever lay ahead.

Upon reaching the door, the Earl asked, "This is where they are?"

"Yes," the butler answered. "Their presence is strong here."

"Well, open it then," he ordered of his bloodhound butler.

"Are you sure, Master? You may not be able to handle it," he grinned deviously, "seeing the people who killed your parents, that is."

"I said, open it!"

"Yes, sir."

The door was then opened revealing nothing but darkness.

"Tch." The Earl stared but could see nothing lurking about in the darkness. "Stay behind. You will come for me when I say," he commanded quietly.

The butler nodded.

The Earl stepped into the room and put his gun back in his pocket. It would be best to make them think he came without any defense. Nothing could be seen but the film of light that came from the door and the moonlight which shone through the window. All was quiet. Then, in the far corner of the room, a candle was lit, revealing a person sitting down in an armchair. He could not make out whether it was male or female but at this point, it didn't matter. All he need do is shoot this person and he'd be over with it all.

Suddenly, the person in the chair chuckled darkly. It was a man. He sat up and took the candle with him. His face was still dark.

"Who are you?" the Earl called out to him.

The man chuckled again and started walking toward him.

"Say something!" he tried again.

Still, the man said nothing.

"What are you doing here?" he grit out, trying to keep his emotions under control.

The man finally spoke. "Isn't it obvious?" his voice purred maliciously. "I've come to _kill_ you, Earl."

Unable to suppress his emotions any longer, he pulled out his gun and aimed to shoot the man, but he disappeared. Like a ghost.

"W-what?" He looked around but could not find him. "Where are you?"

"I'm over here, Earl," the man's velvety voice called out.

Whirling around, he saw the candle he held and tried to shoot him once more. Again he disappeared.

"Quit running away!" he shouted. "Why'd you do it? What have you against the Phantomhive family?"

The man took hold of the Earl's arm and his grin was unmistakable. "Nothing," he leered.

The Earl pulled away from the shadowy figure but to no avail. "So you killed them for no reason? That's ludicrous!"

He let go of the Earl's arm and backed away. "Yes, you could say that. You could also say I'm crazy." He then proceeded to laugh like the madman he undoubtedly was.

Quite scared now, the Earl slowly backed up toward the door. He didn't know how long he could handle this without going mad himself.

"Where do you think you're going, Earl?" the man's voice said. He wrapped his arms around the Earl who screamed "Sebastian!" but the man quickly covered his mouth.

"None of that, now."

The Earl shut his eyes tightly and tried to calm down. The man's hands were cold and lifeless and they almost caused him to suffocate.

 _He'll kill me,_ he thought. _He'll kill me and then he'll go kill Elizabeth and the rest of them. I've failed... I've failed..._

He screeched when he felt cold metal touch his bare neck.

"Now, don't move, Earl. Or do you want to be headless?"

The door suddenly opened and Sebastian came in, looking surprised at his master's current predicament.

"My. What have you gotten yourself into now, Master?" He folded his arms and looked skeptically at the shadowy figure.

The Earl bit the man's fingers who screamed and he then ran toward his butler, but the man pulled him back and thrust the knife into his side.

"Master!" he heard the butler shout.

Blood flowed from his side. It hurt so bad. This pain. It overwhelmed him. _It's over_ , he heard his mind say.

 _No! It's not over! I need to save Lizzie and the others! I at least have enough strength for that..._

Slowly, he picked up the gun which had fallen to the ground and was now covered in his blood. Seeing that Sebastian was holding the man down on the ground, he aimed for the man's head and this time, it went through.

The man lay limp on the floor, where a pool of blood formed by his head. He sighed. It really _was_ over.

"Master." His butler stood near him and carefully picked him up. "It's all over now, Master," he told him, confirming his thoughts.

The Earl turned around behind him to see the man in the light, but he never saw who it was because, at that moment, he blacked out.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler). All rights belong to the author, Yana Toboso. I am merely using her characters and story for entertainment.**

* * *

 **How full it seemed to him at that moment of follies and mistakes,**

 **bringing bitter tears not to himself alone but to others also.**

 **-Jerome K. Jerome, The Second Thoughts of An Idle Fellow, 1898**

* * *

Everything, everywhere was dark. It penetrated his mind. He couldn't think straight. What was happening? Where was he? Was he having a nightmare? He was aware of his chest heaving up and down but he couldn't open his eyes. He tried to call for help.

"Sebastian! Sebastian!"

The young man felt hands on his shoulders gently shaking him out of his hysteria.

"Master, wake up. Master," he heard the smooth tones of his butler say.

Gasping, he shot up in bed and opened his eyes but immediately shut them again as the light burned them. With his head between his legs and arms holding his legs against him, he tried desperately to calm down, to remember all that had happened. Searching his mind, he could only find vague memories. He saw a shadowy figure, chuckling at him, And then he remembered seeing Sebastian come in. Feeling a pain in his side, he remembered that the person had hurt him. He then remembered that Sebastian hadn't come to protect him in time.

Normally, the Earl would have rebuked his butler for such a thing. But he found he had no energy to do so. Laying down in bed, he again searched his mind. Was there something he was missing? He felt there was. What was it? Oh!

"Lizzie!" He shot up in bed again and faced his butler who sat on the left side of his bed. "Where is Lizzie?"

The butler looked over at him, surprised. He didn't expect that to be his first question. "She is currently in bed, asleep."

"She's alright, then?"

"Yes."

The Earl sank down into his bed, relieved. "That's good..." He trailed off.

"The servants?"

"They are all fine. I had them all rest for the night."

"Fine, fine," he murmured. "Sebastian, what did you do with... with the body?"

"I took the liberty to have it buried in the cemetery near here. As it gave off a horrible stench, I wished to get it out of here as soon as possible. I hope you don't mind."

Closing his eyes, the young man took a deep breath. "No... it's fine."

"Are you not going to ask who the person was?"

He thought for a moment. "No."

"Oh?" The butler seemed shocked. This was not the reaction he had expected.

"No." He shook his head. "It's all over with. There's no need."

"I see..."

"Sebastian?" the young man asked quietly.

"Yes?"

"Can you... _could you_ give me three more months?"

The butler stared at his master. Anger and resentment seemed to flash in his crimson eyes.

" _Please_ ," the young man practically begged. "Just until the baby is born."

The butler's face returned to its stoic disposition. "If you wish," he muttered.

He sighed contentedly. He knew he was being selfish, but he couldn't leave just yet... He couldn't...

* * *

 **May 1895**

* * *

Screams and cries coming from the newborn baby filled the room. To an outsider, it would have been annoying, but to the Earl and the Countess, it was beautiful. Lizzie, exhausted from all the work of birthing the baby, laid down in bed and smiled before drifting off into sleep.

Paula took the baby into the bathroom to wash him/her off. Once emerging, she wrapped the baby in blankets and handed it over to the Earl.

"What is it?" he asked cautiously.

The maid grinned. "It's a boy."

The Earl let out the breath he was holding in and smiled at the baby who squirmed and wriggled in his arms. They now had an heir.

"Hello," he whispered to the baby.

The baby replied with inaudible babble.

"I'm your Daddy, now," he told him, holding out his hand as if he wanted the baby to shake it. He laughed with delight when the baby took his finger and shook it up and down.

"Lizzie! Lizzie, look!" he whisper-shouted to his wife who was just waking up from her short nap.

The Countess giggled, delighting in her husband's joyful face. She held out her arms and the Earl handed her the baby.

"He's beautiful," she exclaimed in awe.

The Earl softly sat on the bed next to her and patted her head. "Yes, he is indeed," he agreed, taking in the baby's blond hair, like his mother's, and his blue eyes, like his father's.

"Ciel!" She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and smiled. "I'm a mother now."

He smiled down at her and rested his head on hers. This was the happiest moment of his life.

* * *

Ciel Phantomhive, the strong, proud, and self-righteous Earl of Phantomhive, lay in bed watching his wife sleep peacefully. He would have to leave her today, her and the baby. He had promised Sebastian that he would. He wouldn't put it off anymore. Still, he couldn't help but want to stay a little longer. It killed him to know that he wouldn't be able to watch his boy grow up, to become a fine, strong man, capable of leading the Funtom Company. One day, he would become the Watchdog as he had been and protect the Royal Highness.

 _He would need a man to help him_ , he thought. _Lizzie would re-marry and he'd teach him all the ways of the world and_ -

The Earl stopped himself. It was pure torture to think like this. He couldn't bare the thought of someone else marrying his Lizzie. _But_ , he thought, _it must be done_.

Looking over to the left of him, in a crib, his son was fast asleep. Yes, it would be hard to leave them.

Making a sudden decision, he got up out of bed and walked around to the side of the bed to where his wife lay.

"Lizzie." He shook her arm gently. "Lizzie, please wake up."

"Hmm," she moaned and opened her eyes. "Ciel?"

"Lizzie, I'm going to be leaving."

She sat up in bed, her eyes wide open. "Leaving? At this time of night?"

The Earl bit his lip. "Yes. I... I won't be coming back."

She stared at him, dumbfounded. "What?" she asked quietly. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I..." He took a deep breath. "I've got to leave. It's an important mission and I'll..."

The Countess looked at him sadly. "You'll what?"

"I'll probably die."

Tears rushed to her eyes. "Oh, Ciel." She wrapped her arms around him. "Why must you go? Can't you refuse?"

The Earl embraced her back. "I can't. I've already made the decision. There's no turning back." He buried his face in her neck.

"But what about me? Our son? Are they not more important to you?"

"Lizzie..." He tried to come up with something to say. "You... are the most important person in my life. You and the baby have made me so happy, but..."

She rested her head on his.

"But... I can't stay here anymore. I must face this... oh, I can't tell you," he cried.

"You had it all planned out, didn't you?" she whispered.

The Earl looked up at her. "Had what all planned out?"

"This. You were being so nice to everyone so you could leave them all happy in the end. The reason you suddenly started staying hidden was because the stress of having so much to deal with was getting to you and you forgot your resolve. Then you remembered it, and again, you acted nice with everyone. But it wasn't real, it was forced. You forced yourself to do it because you wanted to leave knowing all was right in your world. That is why," she breathed. "Ciel, I don't know what you're going to do but please, oh, please know this."

The Earl silently dreaded what she would say next.

"I love you."

The only thing he could do now was cry. "I love you, too," he said and meant it.

Tightening her grip on the young man, she continued, "I could never, ever replace you. No one would ever mean as much to me as you. All I ever wanted... was to make you happy." She pulled away from him for a moment and looked him in the eyes. "Are you?"

"Lizzie, I've never been happier," he said truthfully.

She smiled tearfully. "I'm glad." And then she embraced him once more. "I'm so glad."

They stayed together like that for a while before the Earl said, "Lizzie, I have to be going now."

He lifted her up and said goodbye in the nicest way you could say goodbye to a wife you never would see again. He then walked over to the crib and said goodbye to his son. It was a very heartfelt moment and one Lizzie never forgot.

After all goodbye's had been said, the Earl walked out of the room, leaving a heartbroken Lizzie behind him. She never did see her husband again.


	11. Epilog

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler). All rights belong to the author, Yana Toboso. I am merely using her characters and story for entertainment.**

* * *

As we've reached the end of this story, I will now relate to you what transpired after the fateful death of the Earl of Phantomhive.

Lizzie never forgot the Earl, as she had said before. She never married and told her parents that _she alone_ would be the one to teach her son. He was fast to learn and she taught him all the things a man of noble status should know (although her father stepped in for certain things).

At the age of six he was ready to begin fencing. After several months of rigorous training, he soon became good enough and went on to defeat all the other boys in his class.

Once he had asked his mother how his father had died. His mother merely said, "He died serving the former Queen, a great honor. You should be very proud of him."

And so he was.

At sixteen he was ready to be decorated. He had inherited his father's sly and cunning ways in handling business deals and a knowledge of what people desired, and, before long, the Funtom Company was up and running better than before.

And so it would be with the rest of the generation of Phantomhive's.

* * *

 **The End.**

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you so very much for reading this story till the end! I'd really love to hear what you thought about it, so review if you like. Bye for now!**


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